Ojamajo Doremi Breakaway: A Crack in Time
by S.P.D. Gold Ranger
Summary: A mistake in time has taken Nick and Yuki's loved ones away from them, and now they're on a quest to reunite and search for the mythical Great Clock, which may have the power to undo time's mistake and reunite them with their loved ones...
1. Time Enough at Last

_The four-year-old Momoko looked at the crowd of people that stood before her at Sea Star Elementary School. The many people seemed intimidating to her..._

"_Excuse me?"_

_Momoko turned around at this new voice, and saw a five-year-old boy with short, spiky hair standing behind her._

"_You having some trouble getting around?"_

_Momoko slowly nodded._

"_Yeah, I had the same problem last year. How about I take you to registration?"_

_Momoko nodded again, a smile slowly forming._

"_What's your name?" Momoko asked._

"_Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that. My name's Nick."_

"_And my name's Momoko. It's nice to meet you!"_

(Footage: Yuki can be seen opening a scrapbook as the song begins.)

_DAN-DAN kokoro hikareteku sono mabushii egao ni  
__Hatenai yami kara tobidasou hold my hand  
__(Bit by bit, my heart is charmed with that dazzling smile  
__Let's flee from the endless darkness as you hold my hand)_

(Footage: We can see an overhead view of the Great Clock as Yuki runs through it, the Chronoscepter resting on her back. Switch to Nick running in the direction Yuki is coming from. As the two siblings cross paths, they leap into the air and give each other a high five. Cut to a full view of the Great Clock, which is joined by the _Ojamajo Doremi Breakaway: A Crack in Time_ logo.)

_Kimi to deatta toki kodomo no koro taisetsu ni  
__omotte ita basho wo omoidashitanda  
__(You see, when I met you I remembered the view  
__which I had treasured when I was a child...)_

(Footage: Shot of Yuki sitting on the edge of a walkway in Great Clock, Sector Three, waving her Chronoscepter lazily. She turns around and taps the floor with the Chronoscepter, creating a blue copy of her. Yuki and her time duplicate smile at each other before breaking out into fits of laughter.)

_Boku to odotte kurenai ka hikari to kage no winding road  
__(Won't you dance with me? It's a winding road of light and shadows)_

(Footage: Cut to Nick mowing through the forests of planet Zanifar with Hanyou Hikari, obviously searching for something. Aegis looks up, alerting Nick to an incoming squadron of Nefarious robots. Nick just smiles and brandishes his weapon, ready for the challenge.)

_Ima to demo yatsu ni muchuu na no?  
__(Even now, you're dreaming of him?)_

(Footage: Nick performs a quick Aura Crescent that destroys the robot platoon. Nick gives a thumbs up to Aegis, who looks quite impressed.)

_Sukoshi dake furimukitaku naru you na toki mo aru kedo  
__ai to yuuki to hokori wo motte tatakau yo  
__(There are times when it seemed like I wanted to turn back...  
__But holding this love, courage, and pride, I shall fight!)_

(Footage: Yuki looks up, readying the Chronoscepter just as the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler appears. Yuki waves her free hand in a "bring it" motion. Meanwhile, Nick diverolls away from the War Grok he is fighting at the Agorian Battleplex. The War Grok roars as Nick summons Hanyou Hikari, also waving his free hand in a "bring it" motion.)

_DAN-DAN kokoro hikareteku kono hoshi no kibou no kakera  
__(Bit by bit, my heart is charmed with a piece of hope in this world)_

(Footage: Yuki quickly creates four time duplicates of herself as Dr. Nefarious approaches. She points towards Nefarious and his army in a "CHARGE!!!" motion, and they all rush forward.)

_Kitto dare mo ga eien wo te ni iretai  
__(Anyone surely wants to have eternity in his hands)_

(Footage: Nick follows Aegis through the Hoverboot course, the two appearing to have a lot of fun rushing through the many loops and turns. Quick flash of the Time Reaper.)

_ZEN-ZEN Ki ni shinai furi shite mo hora kimi ni koishiteru  
__(Even if you pretend not to mind at all, just remember that I love you)_

(Footage: Nick and Yuki crash into each other, only to notice both Dr. Nefarious and the Time Reaper in the sky above, just waiting for them. Nick and Yuki summon their weapons and smile at each other.)

_Hatenai yami kara tobidasou hold your hand  
__(Let's flee from the endless darkness as I hold your hand)_

(Footage: Nick and Yuki quickly unleash their signature Mystic Artes, Belated Barrage and Radiant Moonlight, towards the approaching army. As the attacks connect, we fade out to a still shot of Nick and Yuki standing hand-in-hand in front of the Great Clock, with a few Zoni surrounding them.)

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(The only second chances in life are those you make yourselves.)

S.P.D. Gold Ranger presents:  
_Ojamajo Doremi Breakaway: A Crack in Time  
_Story Created: January 4th, 2010

Summary: Nick and Yuki are finally married to the ones they love, and life is sweet. But what should have been a happy ending is ripped to shreds when personal tragedy strikes. Now, Nick is on a search for his missing sister, and hopes to find the seemingly-mythical Great Clock, rumored to have the power to control time itself, to reverse time's mistake and regain what he and his family have lost. Along the way, Nick and Yuki will learn the truth about their origins, their family, and their destiny...

Disclaimer (since I know I have to put this): I don't own ANYTHING related to _Ojamajo Doremi_, and you people know that. It belongs solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. There, now you can't sue me for it. Hahaha. I win.

Note 2: Yuki Shinoya and her witch apprentice team, who will be appearing in this story, belong to YukiShinoya444. I DO have her permission to use her characters in my stories, just so you know.

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Chapter 1: Time Enough at Last! The Beginning of a Journey!

_Did I ever tell you about my kids?_

_They're wonderful, in my opinion._

_A son, and a daughter._

_Two wonderful kids, close as can possibly be._

_However, I sense a dark and ominous force brewing nearby._

_I fear it may try to take my children away from me._

_So I must send them away._

_Nick... Yuki... I hope you understand, and I hope you don't hate me for doing this._

_I must, or the Great Clock, and the universe itself, will be in terrible danger._

A sleeping Yuki Shinoya can be seen floating in suspended animation inside a mysterious chamber.

On the side of the room, a door opens, and in steps a robotic figure, followed by a butler.

"The Shinoya girl is ready for scanning, Dr. Nefarious," the butler stated.

"Nice work, Lawrence," Nefarious responded, walking up to the unconscious Yuki. "Ah, my arch-nemesis. NOT SO SMART NOW, ARE YA?!!"

As Nefarious said this, he bopped Yuki on the head about four times.

"Sir, the Zoni are inquiring on our progress," Lawrence stated.

Nefarious just growled. "How much longer must we pretend to be partners with those twits?!"

Almost as if to answer Nefarious' question, a few Zoni appeared in the room and began circling the sleeping Yuki.

"Mistress does not remember," the Zoni stated. "You must fix."

"Yes, yes, I'm fixing, I'm fixing!!" Nefarious groaned.

"_Stand by for mind scan."_

Nefarious began tapping on a few screens.

"Okay, let's see, favorite color is black, favorite number is eighty-seven billion point two, and blah, blah, blah..."

Just then...

"_Access denied. Unknown safeguard activated."_

A red X appeared on the screen.

"No!! NO!!! Locked out again!!" Nefarious exclaimed. "It's in here somewhere, Lawrence. Somewhere inside this little bratling's mind lies the key to the Orvus Chamber!!!"

The Zoni flew in front of the screen.

"No Orvus Chamber!!"

"But, your Zoniness, if we could take but a peek at the chamber..."

"No Orvus Chamber!! Chamber is for mistress only."

That seemed to be about all Nefarious could take. "Very well. Then I think it's time our 'partnership' came to an end. Say hello to..."

"Not the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler..." Lawrence groaned.

"The Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler!!!" Nefarious exclaimed, activating the aforementioned machine, which began firing sonic weaponry to chase the Zoni out of the room, all while Nefarious laughed manically.

Just then, the lights went out.

"Apologies, sir. I should have mentioned that the machinery is especially susceptible to sonic weaponry."

"_Backup generator activated."_

The lights came back on, but Yuki was nowhere to be seen.

"What the...?!" Nefarious growled, only to notice Yuki rushing towards where the Zoni had gone.

"She's awake!! STOP HER!!!!"

Yuki just stuck her tongue out at Nefarious and bolted out of the room.

_What the hell's going on?!_ Yuki thought, trying to understand just what was going on. _The last thing I remember was laying down in bed and waiting for Saiki-kun... WAIT. Where the hell IS Saiki-kun?! And where's Nick-kun, for that matter?!_

Realizing she wouldn't get any answers if she just stood there, Yuki rushed through the hallways, ignoring the chaos that the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler was creating around her.

"Where are you, little Yuki?" Nefarious' mocking voice resounded over the loudspeakers. "Don't you dare run from me."

"To hell with you!!!" Yuki exclaimed.

"ARGH!!!! Stubborn brat!!! All units, converge on sector one!! The girl is escaping through the Mnemonic Chambers!!!"

Yuki continued rushing through the chaotic hallways, ignoring everything else around her.

"Hey, ma'am!! Over here!!"

Yuki looked to her right, and noticed the hologram of another robot.

"Listen carefully. I'm your only hope for escaping Dr. Nefarious right now. Head into the air duct and KEEP MOVING."

Yuki hopped into the open duct and continued to rush through, eventually coming out into another room, where the robot hologram reappeared.

"All right, ma'am!! You're safe for now."

"Um... where exactly am I? And what the heck is DR. NEFARIOUS doing here?!!" Yuki exclaimed. "Didn't Nick-kun and I trash him up YEARS ago?!"

"I'll explain everything when you're safe, ma'am, but first we need to calibrate your optical response processes," the robot responded.

"You mean test my sight?" Yuki answered, rubbing at her eyes. You could tell she was tired. "I do feel a little sleepy right now, probably 'cause of what Nefarious was doing to me..."

"First, why don't you try looking at the scanner to your left?"

Yuki rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes before gazing at the aforementioned ocular scanner. After a few seconds, it turned green.

"Good job, ma'am!! Now try looking at the one on your right."

Yuki did so, and it, too, turned green after a couple seconds.

"Okay, now there should be one above you."

Yuki looked up, and there was the third scanner.

"All right, there's one more below you."

Yuki looked down at the final scanner.

"All right, good job!! You're all recalibrated!! Now, just KEEP MOVING. I'll hold 'em off as long as I can!!"

And with that, the robot's hologram disappeared and the door ahead opened.

Yuki wasted no time in rushing forward into the next room, noting that at a nearby pedestal, there sat an eerily-similar model of a planet that looked a lot like Earth.

**Planet Jasindu Room**

Before Yuki could wonder what was going on, the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler crashed into the room, a few more Zoni giving chase. As they fought it out, more structures collapsed, demolished in the wake of the confrontation.

Yuki shook all this out of her head and wasted no time in rushing forward through the hallways.

"_All troops!! The girl is moving through Sector One!! Hurry and intercept her before she escapes!!"_

Yuki skidded to a stop as a platoon of Nefarious' robots approached her.

"Look, get OUT OF MY WAY," Yuki growled. "I'm tired, I'm sleepy, and I have no idea what's going on!! So you'd better move the hell out of my way before I make you move!!"

The robots paid no heed to this, closing in on the black witch.

"All right, then, if that's the way you're going to play," Yuki stated, summoning Shutsuga Tobiume. As the robots drew closer, she spun her weapon in an arc around her, creating a field of electric energy that forced the robots back.

"_Come forth, o lightning, and receive your punishment!!"_ Yuki chanted, bringing her blade behind her. The robots began to close in again. Yuki just blew a kiss.

"_Mystic Arte!! Radiant Moonlight!!!"_ Yuki exclaimed, slashing her weapon in a perfect circle around her, the motion creating a wave of twilight energy that ripped the robots apart in mid-pounce.

Yuki took this opportunity to rush into the next room, where the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler appeared again, crashing through the many glass windows. Strangely enough, after the Zoni followed it, chanting _"Escape higher!"_, everything but Yuki turned blue and some of the glass pieces froze, forming a makeshift stairway for the black witch.

"What the...?!" Yuki exclaimed.

"There's a perfectly logical explanation for that, ma'am, but let's save that for another time," the hologram of the red robot from earlier responded.

Yuki wasted no time in hopping up the makeshift platforms to the next room, using Shutsuga Tobiume to slash through a rather flimsy barrier that Nefarious had apparently set up.

"_Where are you, brat?! I am in no mood for your games!! I'll extract your brain myself if I have to!! You WILL give me the key to the Orvus Chamber!!"_ Nefarious shouted from the loudspeaker.

"How could I give you the key to some weird chamber when I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?!!" Yuki shot back just as the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler came back and fired a massive sonic pulse wave that destroyed some of the glass platforms.

Yuki knew she needed those pathways to move on, but she had always been known to improvise in tight situations.

So, Yuki brought out Shutsuga Tobiume, leaped over a gap, and began spinning her weapon above her, the motion giving her an aerial boost that gave her enough height to reach the path ahead.

Yuki leaped over the next gap, this time using two aerial boosts to clear the larger gap. Once she landed, she rushed quickly into the next room.

"_Warning. Quantum stabilizers offline. Please check systems responses."_

"_Sir, Yuki is in impulse substation six,"_ Lawrence's voice resounded.

"_Find that girl!! She holds the key to the Orvus Chamber!!"_ Nefarious responded.

"Quick, ma'am, up here!! Please hurry!!" the red robot hologram responded from a higher tier. Yuki climbed her way up and quickly rushed into the next area, where there was a spinning platform that didn't seem to be traversable.

"Take cover, ma'am!!"

Yuki did just that, hiding behind the barrier so she wouldn't get shot by Nefarious' robots.

"I've got an idea. I'm going to try and lure the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler into the room!!"

Within seconds, the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler flew into the room and crashed into the wall, emitting a pulse wave and slowing time down enough so Yuki could cross over the spinning wheel and into the next area.

**The Great Clock, Sector One**

Yuki continued rushing over the pathways, leaping over gaps created by the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler, and ignoring Nefarious' mindless chattering as she continued to make her great escape.

"_You realize that I can follow you all the way to Polaris, right, little girl?"_

"Oh, SHUT UP, already," Yuki groaned, using another Radiant Moonlight to destroy the TV screen where Nefarious was talking.

"Oh, no... this is terrible... all of Orvus' work destroyed... how could I have let this happen?!" the red robot exclaimed.

Yuki made a beeline for the next room, where the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler made yet another appearance, demolishing a few structures before slamming into the wall and emitting another pulse wave that slowed time. This made the shattered structure pieces turn into makeshift platforms that Yuki used to hop her way to the final room of the area.

"_Sir, we've detected the caretaker in the Sector One broom closet."_

Yuki diverolled forward just as the door behind her closed, and then saw the red robot who had been helping her throughout this entire chase.

However, before Yuki could ask what was going on, the door ahead shut, locking the robot in.

"Ma'am, they've locked me in!! Try and find another way out, and whatever you do, don't let anyone near the chamber!!"

Yuki just shrugged, knowing she wasn't going to get any answers right now, and continued up the stairs, finally emerging outside...

...only to gasp in awe at what she saw: hundreds of massive structures performing many sorts of tasks, all situated around a gigantic dome that was incredibly massive.

Before Yuki could say anything, Nefarious and Lawrence entered from the door behind her.

"Go ahead. JUMP!!!" Nefarious screamed before laughing maniacally.

"Dr. Nefarious," Yuki proclaimed. "I should have known YOU were behind all this. Why did you separate me from Nick-kun and Saiki-kun?! And where the hell have you taken me?!"

"You don't recognize it? This is your home, the Great Clock!! A marvel of science and sorcery, engineered by the brightest Zoni in all of existence, and constructed in the EXACT CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE!!!!" Nefarious exclaimed. "Give or take fifty feet."

"Okay, I'm curious. What kind of lies did you feed to the Zoni just so you could exact your vengeance?!" Yuki demanded.

"You think I went through all this for mere vengeance?" Nefarious asked. "And they say _I'm_ egomaniacal..."

"Because you are," Yuki retorted.

"Let's just say... it's all in the past," Nefarious responded. "LAWRENCE!!!!!"

"Right here, sir," Lawrence answered.

"Ready the Orb of Gratuitous Immobilization," Nefarious sneered, only to turn around and notice that Yuki was already far away, spinning Shutsuga Tobiume above her to glide down to a safe spot.

"Shall I send the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler after her, sir?" Lawrence asked.

"No. I have a better idea," Nefarious answered.

"But, sir..."

"Patience, Lawrence. We've got all the time in the universe."

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Next time:

Chapter 2: The Search Begins! Landing On Mysterious Zanifar!

We now shift to Nick's side of the story, where he has begun his galactic search for his missing sister. When he crashes on planet Zanifar, he learns of the Great Clock, which may have the power to undo the mistake in time that blighted him...


	2. So The Search Begins

"_Will you really be okay... if I leave? Are you really fine all by yourself, Yuki-chan?"_

"_Why would you think otherwise?" Yuki returned in a soft voice._

"_Because... you were crying," he replied, in a just as soft voice. Yuki perked up._

"_I..."_

_Meeting his coal eyes, she let out her breath._

"_I hate myself... I hate everything... including being alone..."_

_Saiki's eyes widened and he approached her once again._

"_Yuki-chan..." he started. Yuki looked away._

"_Answer my question now... Why do you keep trying to approach me? Do you want to hurt me that much?"_

"_First off, for the ten-millionth time, I don't want to hurt you. Not now, not ever. I promise, cross my heart and hope to die alright?" Saiki caressed her cheek gently. "I won't hurt you, Yuki-chan."_

"_So... why?"_

"_Good question..." He drew his hand back. "I don't even know myself..."_

_Yuki blinked twice._

"_You don't hate me... and you don't want to hurt me... are you..."_

"_Yes Yuki-chan, I already promised I wasn't lying. Question is, were you?"_

_A smile formed on Yuki's face. "I-I don't know anymore..."_

"_Well then," Saiki stated, pulling Yuki into a surprising embrace. "We'll get to know each other, and then answer our questions..."_

_Yuki's eyes widened and sparkled._

"_A-Alright..."_

_Her voice shook. "B-But what if..._

"_Yuki-chan," he began firmly. "Daijoubu, from now on, I'll protect you. First thing's first... Do you trust me, Yuki-chan?"_

_A smile formed on her lips as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I trust you."_

"_One more thing..." Saiki started, stroking her long black locks._

"_The name's Saiki. Shidoosha Saiki."_

_A light blush came over Yuki's cheeks._

"_Okay, Saiki-kun! A-Arigatou..."_

(Footage: Yuki can be seen opening a scrapbook as the song begins.)

_DAN-DAN kokoro hikareteku sono mabushii egao ni  
__Hatenai yami kara tobidasou hold my hand  
__(Bit by bit, my heart is charmed with that dazzling smile  
__Let's flee from the endless darkness as you hold my hand)_

(Footage: We can see an overhead view of the Great Clock as Yuki runs through it, the Chronoscepter resting on her back. Switch to Nick running in the direction Yuki is coming from. As the two siblings cross paths, they leap into the air and give each other a high five. Cut to a full view of the Great Clock, which is joined by the _Ojamajo Doremi Breakaway: A Crack in Time_ logo.)

_Kimi to deatta toki kodomo no koro taisetsu ni  
__omotte ita basho wo omoidashitanda  
__(You see, when I met you I remembered the view  
__which I had treasured when I was a child...)_

(Footage: Shot of Yuki sitting on the edge of a walkway in Great Clock, Sector Three, waving her Chronoscepter lazily. She turns around and taps the floor with the Chronoscepter, creating a blue copy of her. Yuki and her time duplicate smile at each other before breaking out into fits of laughter.)

_Boku to odotte kurenai ka hikari to kage no winding road  
__(Won't you dance with me? It's a winding road of light and shadows)_

(Footage: Cut to Nick mowing through the forests of planet Zanifar with Hanyou Hikari, obviously searching for something. Aegis looks up, alerting Nick to an incoming squadron of Nefarious robots. Nick just smiles and brandishes his weapon, ready for the challenge.)

_Ima to demo yatsu ni muchuu na no?  
__(Even now, you're dreaming of him?)_

(Footage: Nick performs a quick Aura Crescent that destroys the robot platoon. Nick gives a thumbs up to Aegis, who looks quite impressed.)

_Sukoshi dake furimukitaku naru you na toki mo aru kedo  
__ai to yuuki to hokori wo motte tatakau yo  
__(There are times when it seemed like I wanted to turn back...  
__But holding this love, courage, and pride, I shall fight!)_

(Footage: Yuki looks up, readying the Chronoscepter just as the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler appears. Yuki waves her free hand in a "bring it" motion. Meanwhile, Nick diverolls away from the War Grok he is fighting at the Agorian Battleplex. The War Grok roars as Nick summons Hanyou Hikari, also waving his free hand in a "bring it" motion.)

_DAN-DAN kokoro hikareteku kono hoshi no kibou no kakera  
__(Bit by bit, my heart is charmed with a piece of hope in this world)_

(Footage: Yuki quickly creates four time duplicates of herself as Dr. Nefarious approaches. She points towards Nefarious and his army in a "CHARGE!!!" motion, and they all rush forward.)

_Kitto dare mo ga eien wo te ni iretai  
__(Anyone surely wants to have eternity in his hands)_

(Footage: Nick follows Aegis through the Hoverboot course, the two appearing to have a lot of fun rushing through the many loops and turns. Quick flash of the Time Reaper.)

_ZEN-ZEN Ki ni shinai furi shite mo hora kimi ni koishiteru  
__(Even if you pretend not to mind at all, just remember that I love you)_

(Footage: Nick and Yuki crash into each other, only to notice both Dr. Nefarious and the Time Reaper in the sky above, just waiting for them. Nick and Yuki summon their weapons and smile at each other.)

_Hatenai yami kara tobidasou hold your hand  
__(Let's flee from the endless darkness as I hold your hand)_

(Footage: Nick and Yuki quickly unleash their signature Mystic Artes, Belated Barrage and Radiant Moonlight, towards the approaching army. As the attacks connect, we fade out to a still shot of Nick and Yuki standing hand-in-hand in front of the Great Clock, with a few Zoni surrounding them.)

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

(The only second chances in life are those you make yourselves.)

S.P.D. Gold Ranger presents:  
_Ojamajo Doremi Breakaway: A Crack in Time  
_Story Created: January 4th, 2010  
This Chapter: March 11th, 2010

Summary: Nick and Yuki are finally married to the ones they love, and life is sweet. But what should have been a happy ending is ripped to shreds when personal tragedy strikes. Now, Nick is on a search for his missing sister, and hopes to find the seemingly-mythical Great Clock, rumored to have the power to control time itself, to reverse time's mistake and regain what he and his family have lost. Along the way, Nick and Yuki will learn the truth about their origins, their family, and their destiny...

Today's Episode: We now shift to Nick's side of the story, where he has begun his galactic search for his missing sister. When he and Moriko crash land on planet Quantos, he learns of the Great Clock, which may have the power to undo the mistake in time that blighted him...

Disclaimer (since I know I have to put this): I don't own ANYTHING related to _Ojamajo Doremi_, and you people know that. It belongs solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. There, now you can't sue me for it. Hahaha. I win.

Note 2: Yuki Shinoya and her witch apprentice team, who will be appearing in this story, belong to YukiShinoya444. I DO have her permission to use her characters in my stories, just so you know.

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Chapter 2: The Search Begins! Landing On Mysterious Quantos!

**Polaris Galaxy - Breegus System, Phylax Sector**

_Space. It's huge. So huge, in fact, that if you lost your car keys in it, they'd be practically impossible to find. Thankfully, I, the wonderful Takahashi Moriko, was on the case. Her mission: rescue Nick-kun's only family. Yep, without Yuki-chan with him, Nick-kun was alone in the universe. Alone. Alone. Alone!!_

Nick just groaned at Moriko's antics. "Mori-chan, you realize this ship has an ejector seat, right?"

"Sorry," Moriko giggled. "I guess you could say I've been a little 'antsy in my pantsy' about getting back into the butt-kicking business. These wild stallions have been in the stable for far too long!!"

Nick just shook his head. "Look, just keep your eyes peeled, okay?" Nick stated before turning back to the controls of the Aphelion, the starship he had requisitioned from Majorika a few days ago. "Kurumi-chan said this sector is crawling with mercenaries."

"Don't worry, Nick-kun," Moriko giggled. "My vigilance is both eternal... and peripheral."

Nick just rolled his eyes at Moriko's antics, turning back to the controls and sighing half-heartedly.

Moriko noticed Nick's distress, softly rubbing his shoulders.

"Hey, I know you're worried about her," Moriko stated soothingly. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost Akemi-chan..."

"It's not just Momoko I'm worried about, Mori-chan... my sister was kidnapped by Dr. Nefarious... I'm worried sick about her..."

"Hey, this is Yuki-chan we're talking about," Moriko stated. "I'm sure she'll be fine. You still remember your word, right, Nick-kun?"

Nick looked out towards the stars. "Nankurunaisa."

Moriko smiled and hugged Nick.

With renewed determination, Nick returned to the controls and made the Aphelion shoot off into the stars.

_You people are probably wondering what the heck I'm doing in SPACE, of all places. It's... not pretty, let me tell you. It all started a few days ago..._

(flashback)

"_It's so wonderful, isn't it, Nick?" Momoko asked. "It's been a whole year since you and I got hitched..."_

"_To be honest, I wasn't really counting the time," Nick responded, laughing a little._

"_I love you, Nick."_

_That was something Nick never got tired of hearing._

"_I love you, too, Momoko."_

_As the two lovers leaned in for a kiss, Momoko perked up at something._

"_NICK, GET DOWN!!!" Momoko exclaimed, shoving Nick to the ground just as a massive blue energy wave passed by._

_Nick quickly picked himself up, dusting his shirt off. "Whoa, that was a close one. Nice save, Momoko..."_

_But when he looked up, Momoko wasn't there anymore._

"_What the...? MOMOKO?!!" Nick screamed, quickly throwing out his aura senses. He then discovered something that really frightened him._

_Normally, Nick could sense auras from anywhere, though if a person's aura was very far away, it would be very faint, yet Nick would still be able to detect it._

_The problem was, Nick couldn't sense Momoko's aura at all. It was as if she'd never existed at all._

"_Damn it, what the hell's going on here?!"_

"_Kellysi-chan? You okay?"_

_Nick turned around and noticed Onpu Segawa walking up to him._

"_I heard you screaming, and I thought you were in trouble..."_

_Nick quickly rushed up to the purple witch._

"_Hold still, Onpu-chan. I need to check something."_

_A question mark appeared over Onpu's forehead, but she quickly realized that Nick would never do anything to hurt her, so she smiled and tucked her hands behind her back as Nick put his right hand on her forehead and started concentrating._

_Nick's fear seemed to skyrocket as he continued to scan the purple witch's memories, realizing that there was no trace of Momoko anywhere in Onpu's memories._

"_Onpu-chan, can I ask you something? Do you know someone named Momoko Asuka, by any chance?"_

_After a couple seconds of thought, Onpu shook her head no._

_Before Nick could say anything, Doremi rushed up, a very freaked out Saiki following her._

_Nick didn't even get a chance to ask as Doremi handed the green witch a note._

'_I know you know who this is, little brat. I have the Shinoya girl, and there's no way you'll ever find her. But, I am looking forward to meeting you again. Call it revenge if you want to, but I've been waiting years upon years for this opportunity. So, just for the heck of it, I'll give you a bit of a fighting chance. I'm somewhere in the Polaris Galaxy, so come and find me if you think you have the guts!! Though I don't think you'll make it in 'time', because by the time you find me, the Orvus Chamber will belong to me, and you... well, I don't want to spoil the surprise.'_

_Nick's hands shook hard enough to nearly tear the note in half._

"_That note was unsigned, so I don't know who it could be from," Doremi asked. "Saiki-kun got the note about the same time that Yuki-chan disappeared, and..."_

"_DR. NEFARIOUS HAS MY SISTER?!!"_

_The force of that outburst nearly bowled Onpu and Doremi over, and nearly made Saiki faint from the decibels._

"_Crap, crap, CRAP!!! Why Dr. Nefarious?!!" Nick screamed, now officially in panic mode._

"_Who exactly IS this Dr. Nefarious guy?" Onpu asked, a little curious._

"_Dr. Nefarious is a robotic, cybernetic nutjob, and one of the first bad guys I ever fought, just as my powers started awakening," Nick explained. "I haven't heard anything from him in five years. Great. This is just freaking great. First, my wife disappears, and now I find out this psychotic bag of bolts kidnapped my sister!! How could this day get any freaking worse?!"_

_Suddenly, Nick realized something._

"_Wait a minute."_

_All of a sudden, Nick shot off down the street. Onpu was the first to realize where Nick was going: the Jewelry World MAHO-dou._

_Majorika, finally restored to her original self, was quite shocked to see Nick bust through the door._

"_Hey, have you ever heard of KNOCKING?!" Majorika scolded._

"_I really don't have time for this crap, Majorika!! Where did you stash the Aphelion?!" Nick shot back._

"_You mean that old antique starship? Why do you need it?" Majorika wondered._

"_Let's just say that I have a vendetta to settle."_

(end flashback)

_And so, with the blessings of my friends, Mori-chan and I took off for the Polaris Galaxy. I'm really worried about what Dr. Nefarious might be doing to Yuki-chan. I know I seem like I'm spazzing, but it's justified. After what happened to Momoko, Yuki-chan's the only family I have left._

"Space is so peaceful, isn't it?" Moriko stated.

"Let's hope it stays that way," Nick responded. He knew that Moriko was trying to keep his spirits up, since she knew how sad he felt about losing both his wife and his sister.

"WARNING. WARNING. UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALY DETECTED," the Aphelion's onboard AI system stated. Moriko looked out the rear window and saw a gigantic wave of electricity hurtling at them.

"Nick-kun, MASSIVE LIGHTNING BOLT ON OUR TAIL!!!!" Moriko exclaimed.

"Hang on, Mori-chan!! Shifting to evasive maneuvers!!" Nick exclaimed, but no sooner had he said that than the anomaly passed through the Aphelion, causing it to stop completely before nose-diving towards a nearby planet.

"Oh my god, oh my god, we're gonna die!!!" Moriko screamed, panic setting in. "Good thing these clothes are so old!!!"

"Mori-chan, will you SHUT UP?! We are NOT gonna die!!" Nick shot back, reaching for the controls. "Aphelion, engage grav-o-metric stabilizers!!!"

"NEGATIVE. STABILIZERS OFFLINE. THURSTERS OFFLINE. LANDING FLAPS OFFLINE."

Nick sighed heavily.

"All right, so we're gonna die," Nick conceded.

Both Nick and Moriko started screaming loudly as the Aphelion entered the planet's atmosphere, unable to take the strain of being struck head-on by the weird anomaly and breaking apart piece by piece.

**Zolar Forest, Planet Quantos**

Eventually, the now-wingless Aphelion crashed to the ground and started sliding through the jungle towards a cliff.

"Hang on!!!" Nick screamed.

After a few seconds, Nick finally opened his eyes, wondering why his body didn't ache at all from the crash.

Before he could even ask, Moriko pointed outside, where Nick noticed that they and what was left of the Aphelion were stuck in the middle of a massive field of blue energy. Everything inside the blue field was frozen, as if stuck in time.

"Whoa," Nick stated.

"I know," Moriko stated. "This is weird..."

"Let's take a look around," Nick responded. "Hopefully we'll be able to figure things out here."

As Nick and Moriko hopped out of the frozen Aphelion, they began looking around the environment.

After a few minutes, Nick decided to ask 'the question'. "Where the heck are we?"

"Beats me," Moriko responded. "Maybe a leisurely stroll through this uncharted jungle will solve the mystery!!"

"Ah, what the heck," Nick responded. "Beats flying America West."

Nick quickly summoned Hanyou Hikari, and he and Moriko then set off into Zolar Forest.

"Marooned on a hostile alien planet, Takahashi Moriko soon realized that her rescue mission would inevitably pit her against the most terrifying evil of all... nature itself," Moriko narrated to nobody in particular.

"Where do you come up with this stuff, Mori-chan?" Nick wondered.

"Ah, I just make this stuff up," Moriko responded. "If I just copied it all from someone else, that'd be so boring!!"

"True."

Before Moriko could make another comment, the two intrepid adventurers were jumped by a group of Zyphoids, tiny purple mushroom-like creatures native to the planet.

However, Nick charged bravely into the fray. A few whacks with Hanyou Hikari forced the rest of the Zyphoids to retreat.

"Nice one, Nick-kun," Moriko stated. "Not bad for a sidekick."

"Aren't YOU supposed to be MY sidekick, Mori-chan?" Nick responded. Moriko decided not to answer that.

As the two ventured deeper into the forest, they eventually came across a downed bridge that led across a deep lake.

"Okay, problem. I'm not so good with swimming," Moriko noted.

"Just wait here, okay? I'll find another way across," Nick responded, rushing down a side path that Moriko didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, great!! This rain is gonna be murder on my clothes!!!" Moriko exclaimed. "These are designer models!!"

"Aren't they supposed to be fluff-dry?" Nick teased as he reached the other side of the downed bridge, where a high-tech winch crank was waiting. This was obviously what operated the bridge.

"So, what's the plan here?" Moriko wondered as Nick began turning the crank to raise the bridge.

"Well, where there are bridges, there are people. Where there are people, there are ships," Nick explained. "You see where I'm going with this?"

"Hey, that's actually pretty smart," Moriko giggled as she ran across the now-raised bridge. "You're going to make a great sidekick!!"

"Honestly, Mori-chan..."

However, as soon as they tried to forge on, they were stopped by a large wall with many murals imprinted on it.

"Look at this beautiful native craftsmanship," Moriko giggled, admiring the wall. "Stand back, Nick-kun."

"Mori-chan, w-what are you..."

"_The emerald colors of a morning mist, take this!! Ojamajo Leaf Storm!!"_

Moriko thrust her hands forward, unleashing a swarm of rainbow-colored leaves that sliced through the wall like a knife through butter.

"Take THAT, causality!!" Moriko proclaimed, rushing through the new pathway.

Nick just shook his head at the jade witch's antics, only to stop completely when he saw what was up ahead; a gigantic statue had apparently collapsed, but was frozen midway through its collapse by the same blue energy field that had frozen the remains of the Aphelion in time.

"Whoa... Mori-chan, are you seeing this? Something is seriously wrong with this planet," Nick stated.

"I know," Moriko responded. "It's like time is all... not working..."

Moriko ran up to another nearby wall like the one she'd cut through before, and tried another Ojamajo Leaf Storm, but this wall stood strong.

"Rumble, you stupid door!!!" Moriko exclaimed.

"Hang on, I'll find another way around," Nick responded. "You gonna be all right with those things on the loose?"

"_Please_," Moriko huffed. "I can handle a few tiny creatures."

With that, Nick ran back to the collapse pillar and hopped up the platforms it created due to being frozen in time, using this as a means to reach the other side of the wall Moriko couldn't knock down.

No sooner had Nick landed on solid ground than Moriko crashed through the wall, being chased by adult Zyphoids.

"AAH!!! Nick-kun, their parents are here!!!" Moriko screamed. Nick rushed up and started whacking away with Hanyou Hikari, eventually knocking them all off of the cliff.

"Did you see the size of those things? They were HORRIBLE!!!" Moriko exclaimed. "Good thing my clothes are spin-dry..."

"They're FLUFF-DRY, Mori-chan," Nick responded. "You told me so yourself."

Moriko just huffed again as Nick vaulted up to another nearby platform.

"Having vanquished her foes, Takahashi Moriko steals through the jungle, her wand at the ready, set to deliver swift justice to those who get in her way," Moriko narrated. She looked over at Nick, who hadn't even heard her, still lost in thought.

_Poor Nick-kun,_ Moriko thought. _He's so distressed... I can't really blame him, though. He lost the only family he has left. I'd probably be feeling the same way if I lost Akemi-chan... I've only got eyes for Akemi-chan, but Nick-kun's precious, too... I need to help him with this._

"Huh?"

"What's up, Nick-kun?" Moriko asked, walking up to Nick.

"What's this thing?" Nick asked, pointing at a tiny little bug-eyed creature surrounded by a blue aura.

Moriko let out a gasp of complete surprise as she realized that she recognized what this mystery thing was.

"Nick-kun, if that's what I think it is... I think we may have a way to find Yuki-chan," Moriko responded. "If I'm correct, this is a Zoni. They have incredible powers of time manipulation..."

"Time manipulation?" Nick responded. "Do you think they could help us travel back in time?"

Moriko shook her head. "I don't think just one Zoni is powerful enough. Besides, I didn't think they really existed..."

The Zoni flew up to Moriko, causing her to giggle a bit. "Besides, this thing's cute!!"

Moriko extended her hand so she could pet the Zoni, but the instant she touched it, her eyes went blank for a few seconds.

"Mori-chan?! You okay?!" Nick exclaimed.

A few seconds later, Moriko's eyes returned to normal. "Nick-kun!! This Zoni just sent me some memories!! There's someone who might be able to help us!! I couldn't get his name, but he's somewhere on the Molonoth Fields of Torren IV!! We've gotta go find him!!"

"I understand that, Mori-chan, but you do realize that we don't have a ship anymore?" Nick shot back.

"That's where this little guy comes in," Moriko stated, quite proud of herself as she gestured to the Zoni. "This cute little thing has the ability to fix anything by reversing time around what it's trying to fix."

"So basically, it's a _soten kisshun_ for everything else?" Nick wondered.

"Bingo," Moriko stated, pulling her wand out.

"_Popopi piopotto papakiko!! Take us back to the Aphelion!!"_

In a flash, all three passengers returned to the frozen-in-time Aphelion in a flash of light.

The Zoni immediately went to work, circling around the wrecked Aphelion until it was good as new.

"YES!!! We finally have a ship again!!! Let's go find this 'exile' character!!!" Moriko exclaimed.

"'Exile'?" Nick wondered.

"That's all I know about the weird guy I saw in my memories," Moriko answered. "Now let's hurry up and find this guy!!"

Before Moriko could hop into the Aphelion, Nick reached out to hug her.

"N-Nick-kun?"

"Thanks for coming with me, Mori-chan," Nick stated. "It's nice to know I'm not alone, even when I lost my family..."

Touched by this show of emotion, Moriko turned around so she could return Nick's hug.

"Aw, don't start crying now, Nick-kun. Because if YOU start crying, I'M gonna start crying, and we'll be right back in that same episode again," Moriko teased. "But I'm happy to help, Nick-kun. It's all for our troublesome twilight princess, right?"

Nick smiled. "All for Yuki-chan's sake..."

With that, the two disengaged and hopped into the newly-repaired Aphelion.

"WELCOME BACK, MASTER KELLY. AWAITING COORDINATES," the AI system stated.

"All right, let's go find my sister," Nick stated. "Aphelion, set coordinates for Molonoth Fields, Torren IV!!!"

"COMPLIANCE," Aphelion responded.

And so, the ship took off in a flash.

(Author's Note: And here's the ending!! Yuki-chan (my fellow author YukiShinoya444) helped me pick this song because I may be good at picking openings, but most of the time, I SUCK at picking endings. Our song for this part of the program is "Hoshiakari" by Jyukai!!)

(Footage: The sequence starts with a bird's-eye view of the Great Clock. The camera slowly zooms towards Sector Two.)

_Ne, anata e atashi no koe wa kikoemasu ka?  
__(Hey, can you hear the sound of my voice?)_

(Footage: Yuki is walking down the hallways of Sector Two, a melancholic look on her face, and the Chronoscepter resting on her shoulder. She looks up towards the stars.)

_Sono kokoro no oku e todoitemasu ka?  
__(Is it reaching you, coming from the depths of my heart?)_

(Footage: Yuki waves the Chronoscepter, creating a yellow time duplicate of herself. The time duplicate notices Yuki's distress, putting a hand on her shoulder and shaking her gently. Yuki looks back at her duplicate self with a cute look that says "Thanks, I needed that".)

_Nagareboshi hitotsu mitsuketara negai kanau kana  
__(I found a shooting star, I guess I shall wish upon it)_

(Footage: Yuki's time duplicate nods and disappears. Yuki looks ahead, noticing one of the Mnemonic Stations nearby. Realizing that Sigmund is probably waiting for her, Yuki picks up her pace.)

_Ienakatta kotoba o todokete kureru no kana  
__(I wish that it could deliver the words I could not say)_

(Footage: Stepping into the Mnemonic Station, Yuki smiles brightly, holding the Chronoscepter by her side. Sigmund gestures to the station, but Yuki walks up to Sigmund and asks him something. Sigmund nods, and Yuki walks out of the Mnemonic Station.)

"_Arigatou" kokoro kara tsutaetai kono uta o  
__("Thank you..." Following my heart, this song sings)_

(Footage: Yuki sits down at the landing platform of Sector Three, a few Zoni joining her. Yuki pats one of the Zoni on the head, then looks up, seeing a memory of Nick holding his hand towards her.)

_Ima dakara kizuketa omoi wa zutto wasurenai yo  
__(I'll never forget the feelings I have realized because of this moment)_

(Footage: Yuki reaches out, only to see nothing really there. A few tears fall from Yuki's eyes until she feels a hand on her shoulder. She turns around and notices Nick standing there, smiling. Yuki smiles, too, as Nick dries his sister's tears. Nick sits down by Yuki, who hugs him. As the sequence ends, the camera zooms out until we can see the entire Great Clock.)

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Next time:

Chapter 3: Great Clock Orientation! Yuki Shinoya, the Senior Caretaker!

After the incident with Dr. Nefarious, Yuki wakes up, only to find out that Sigmund is waiting for her. Apparently, Yuki has a new destiny now, and she's got all the time in the universe to learn how to work with it...


End file.
